Don't get me wrong, I don't suggest that wools will protect you as well as bunker pants. I am sure that there are lots of guys who have been burned in their wools. I think Stay-Low said it best when he suggested that everyone will find their level of comfort. In the event of flashover or the sudden introduction of high heat and/or flame, then with your wools on, you are literally caught with your pants down. In these cases, you will also be very lucky to get out without injuries even with all your bunker gear on- yes, they won't be as severe. Also, try crawling down the hot-river hallway in wool pants. It's not pretty, but again, we come to the preference issue.

Personally, I like having my bunker pants on when we get into the sh*t because of the protection they offer, they really do a great job on fire-attack. I don't like wearing them when I'm climbing a ladder and/or working on a peaked roof. And I think that getting in and out of these things all day long when working one of the downtown rigs that regularly run more than 20 a day would drive me nuts. And, for every building alarm? SF has a TON of highrises and the building alarms to match, you gonna climb all those stairs all day long in your bunker pants? I suppose pretty soon I will be.

I feel like I don't really need to point this out, but there are a whole lot of different/unique situations here, and I hope that they're taken into consideration when the administation makes their decisions.

I can only hope that my boss will make good decisions so that when I've got my wools on (chances are so will he and the rest of the crew) we won't get caught in a bad situation. Having good tactics and a sane head on your shoulders goes a long way toward safety no matter what you're wearing.

Amen Boney.Every situation is different.And for some reason I am compelled to agree with denver GASP If I have said it once i have said it a thousand times.Everyone does it different.Solid pipe versus fog I am right you are wrong! 3/4 versus full pants,red vs yellow.Deal with it people! I am sick of the NFPA police out there saying it is my dept.s way or no way.Come on guys do it the way your guidelines say and let those with their way be.
Our trucks are yellow and we dont use straight pipes.but we have no prob with those that do

Truckie, Amen. Just because some people do it different than someone else does NOT make it wrong, just different. Sometimes I wish we could get away with just 'wools', others I thank God for my bunkers.

Boney,
Is the 'street splitter' on Geary still open? I haven't been in the city for a couple of years. I grew up in Fresno, and my Sis works in an animal hospital on Filmore. I miss the Deli's.

I am glad that some good answers to this question has come out, b/c it was in my mind when i happened to watch that episode of bravest and while i have a different view i will agree w/ the above and leave it simply as......TO EACH HIS/HER OWN.